skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Opponents Amplify Calls to Reject Indiana's Wetland Deregulation Bill

play audio
Play

Tuesday, March 30, 2021   

INDIANAPOLIS -- Opponents of a wetland deregulation bill in Indiana are amplifying their pleas to lawmakers to reject the measure.

More than 80 groups signed a letter sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb and state lawmakers yesterday, which offered policy alternatives to provisions in Senate Bill 389 that would eliminate state wetland protections established in 2003.

John Ketzenberger, director of government relations for The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, noted there is a reason that Indiana is one of just eight states with its own wetland regulations.

"Indiana is fortunate to be in a water-rich environment," Ketzenberger explained. "We have lots of wetlands; these are a sign of our health in terms of the environment. We should protect these things."

Supporters, including housing and land-development groups, argue current regulations are onerous and expensive.

Indiana has just 15% of its historic wetlands left, and Senate Bill 389 would impact 80% of what remains that are not federally protected.

A House committee could vote early next week on the legislation.

Ketzenberger added The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has been open to a dialogue with concerned groups, but also contended negotiations on the bill haven't included factual input from experts who fully understand how wetlands function.

"The agency is trying to hold onto this important regulatory ability under threat and duress of it being repealed," Ketzenberger stated. "And the discussion has just not been fully robust and in a manner that allows for finding a solution to the alleged problem."

Wetlands provide water purification, critical wildlife habitat and flood protection. Nearly 30,000 people also have signed an online petition calling for Indiana's wetlands to be saved.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …


Medicaid has covered more than $28.6 million in claims for dental services since expansion began, according to state data. (DC Studio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

Environment

play sound

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021